Consolidated Kansas

[HEChicken]

HEchicken I haven't had any way to work on mine at all. It still has a foot of snow around it. I really need to get it done. I keep changing my mind about what I am going to put in there too. I just really need more pens and houses. I wish I could design a side by side hoop coop using the side of one for the side of another. I could make a whole row of them if I could. The expensive part is the actual house part. I can't see not building a house area so the thing will be all weather and useful. And then DH set it backwards so I am trying to decide how to make the house part so the north wind doesn't blow in. I really really don't want to try to move it and do all that dirt work again. I want to build maybe 2 10 foot units as well as this 20 foot long one. I think they would make good little breeding coops for different breeds. I could make the house parts smaller and leave more pen space for them. I am trying to figure out if I want to build two more separate units or build one big one and divide it into two units. I haven't figured out design just yet to see if I could save money that way. My mind never stops working and planning.
I have a peacock that keeps breaking feathers and I am afraid he is going to bleed to death. I want to get him moved to a different pen. Unfortunately I have the turkeys in the pen I need to use so I could use another hoop house for just them. I thought of moving him in with my whites but he is old enough to breed so I'm afraid he would attack my younger boys. I guess that would be a way to find out who is what sex! Not the way I prefer to do it for sure.
It drives me nuts not being able to get out and get work done.

I hear you! My DS suggested that I put them side by side and create a door joining them in the side, so that I have the option of opening up two coops to one group of birds. I like the idea but couldn't see an easy way to do that when we are talking about cutting a door into a hog panel. It would be cool though, to have a little chunnel connecting them, and be able to have that option.

 

[JosieChick]

Rotten no good varmints!

The darned coyotes are back! I figured once they got hungry enough they'd come around. I was worried with the snow load the electric fence charge may not be strong enough to deter them, so I stormed out the back door hollering at them while I tried to get my boots on -- they were making so much noise they didn't even hear me! I was afraid they were going to break through before I could get to them so I rang the bell on the back of the house we use to call the kids in. Still they were hooping and hollering and not paying attention. Finally I got the boots on and flashed the back light off and on disco-like while I looked around for my flashlight. That did it. They went completely silent. I stormed out the door with my flashlight and never caught a glimpse of even one. I walked the perimeter of the fence and found there were only 2 or 3 (sounded like 10 or so) and one of them crept up to the fence -- probably got his nose lit up. I haven't heard a thing out of them since. I think if they got hungry enough they may just go through that fence. I'm glad they're not at all stealthy and I'm really glad I got that wide impedance charger for weather like this. Hopefully, between the fence and I, we will hold them off until they can get something to eat elsewhere! I hate those things.

Yeah... so far I've heard NO ONE say... wow, my birds are eating a lot less now! So I'm thinking just hearing everyone's experience here, that this isn't the deal for me. I just can't afford to feed MORE than I'm feeding now! I have a senior horse killing me on feed and supplement bills! OH yes, I know what you are talking about being able to see the new feathers vs old! I have some silkies molting right now (yes... STILL!) and the old feathers are so dull! And the new ones are so bright and shiny! But I'm not feeding FF and I can still see the difference...? They do get BOSS, but I don't know how much that effects them. Glad you got to the Dr and got antibiotics. Sorry you aren't feeling well. Yeah, I'm with you. I'm ready for warmer weather!!
The boss is probably getting them a lot of good fatty acids too. I might just try fermented feed as a treat this spring just to change things up a bit for them.


This is the chart everyone uses: http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm This is the other chart that sort of completes the first one: http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html Anyway, yes, you can get away with using grocery store detergent, but you need to be careful and read the labels! And don't be afraid to test them out. These charts let you know which ones have optical brighteners and enzymes even if it's not clear on the labeling... so these charts are AWESOME!! I probably should have started out giving you these charts to begin with! I had them listed on my website, but of course, took the site down. I just sell on Etsy now. Much cheaper since the recession. You'd think that cloth diapering would go up, and I think for the most part it did... but not NEW diapers. Everyone did what you are doing-- buying used. There are so many resources for getting quality used diapers that I wasn't selling much new. Back in the early 2000's I was selling so many diapers I could not keep up! We were thinking about hiring a textile company to do the sewing for me, I was at the push it or leave it small. I decided to leave it at that point for some reason, and demand was great and all, but man did it drop when we hit that first recession (and never came out of it as far as I'm concerned!) I don't care what the President says, I can SEE where we are. Anyway... use those detergent charts as your bible! ha!
Thanks for the charts! I have always been a used item buyer. I just like to feel like I am reducing some waste by using something that still has some life left in it. Plus I love to think I got a good deal! I will have to check that store out, Sweet Cheeks. Looks like a fun place! Do you still sell diapers there too?

Are we talking about THIS Sunday?? I think I missed that info. Sunday, we wouldn't even be able to get out there until late-- around 3 or 4pm.. I am on the Praise Team at church and we are preparing for the Holy Week and there is sooooo much to do! Last Sunday I didn't even get home from church until 2pm because of the planning session I was in gearing up. It's fun, so I'm not complaining.
Don't worry about it. We had a few people who mentioned stopping by on Saturday and I didn't want someone to show up and nobody be there. I had said we would tentatively leave this Saturday up as a "rain date." My in laws and DH are going to be working on fence on Sunday so hopefully we can make some progress. I will probably be out there but I am not that useful these days!

Wow - they are really bold at your place. We hear them at night a lot and DS and I had that close encounter a couple of weeks ago but that coyote seemed more interested in the geese on my pond and didn't show any sign he even knew my coop was there (for which I was very thankful). I'm glad you got them scared away. I am wondering if something like a flare gun would work for you. I bet if you stood on your back porch and shot a flare gun in their direction they would disappear for awhile.

Yay for getting your boots today! You sound like me - whenever I order something I can't wait for it to get here! I was so surprised when I ordered that incubator last week and then got the shipping and found it was going to arrive the very next day. I looked at the return address when I got it and it was a PO Box in Wichita, so I wasn't crazy. Did anyone else know that GQF has a distributor right in Wichita? I wish it had provided a physical address instead of a PO Box.

I know what you mean about the sizing. I have never ordered clothes or shoes online because I'm always afraid they won't fit right. And its crazy how they have resized everything to have smaller numbers on it. I guess it makes people feel better to think they're an 8 instead of an 18 but it would certainly be easier if they would just put the real sizes on things and then you could order with confidence. Even when I can try things on, I have clothes in my closet in about 10 different sizes - its nuts! And then Australian sizes are totally different again since they measure it in centimetres, so for example a shirt is sold by your bust size in centimetres. I don't order from there but family members will send gifts so that sizing is added to my collection as well.

I can't wait for this blasted snow to melt so I can get going on finishing up my hoop coop. Right now the lumber I was going to use to build the gate is still buried under several inches of white stuff. Danz, did you ever get yours finished?

HEchicken I haven't had any way to work on mine at all. It still has a foot of snow around it. I really need to get it done. I keep changing my mind about what I am going to put in there too. I just really need more pens and houses. I wish I could design a side by side hoop coop using the side of one for the side of another. I could make a whole row of them if I could. The expensive part is the actual house part. I can't see not building a house area so the thing will be all weather and useful. And then DH set it backwards so I am trying to decide how to make the house part so the north wind doesn't blow in. I really really don't want to try to move it and do all that dirt work again. I want to build maybe 2 10 foot units as well as this 20 foot long one. I think they would make good little breeding coops for different breeds. I could make the house parts smaller and leave more pen space for them. I am trying to figure out if I want to build two more separate units or build one big one and divide it into two units. I haven't figured out design just yet to see if I could save money that way. My mind never stops working and planning.
I have a peacock that keeps breaking feathers and I am afraid he is going to bleed to death. I want to get him moved to a different pen. Unfortunately I have the turkeys in the pen I need to use so I could use another hoop house for just them. I thought of moving him in with my whites but he is old enough to breed so I'm afraid he would attack my younger boys. I guess that would be a way to find out who is what sex! Not the way I prefer to do it for sure.
It drives me nuts not being able to get out and get work done. Ditto!!

I really want the sun to come out and melt this snow!!! I am ready to get moved. Something is really bugging Molly across the street, she has been carrying on for a couple days at something in the woods over there. I don't know what it is but she doesn't usually bark this much during the day. I got another couple coats of paint on the window frames last night so I am hoping one more today and they will be good. I have been saving the walls until all the trim work is done because I know the walls will go fast and be fun to do and make a big difference in here. I am so sick of painting. I can't believe how long the cabinets took to paint. I will never paint cabinets again!

I need to get out of this house today for a while. I think I will shovel a bit off the end of the driveway and see if I can make it out. I was hoping it would melt more today but it is so overcast I am not sure that is going to happen.

 

[lizzyGSR]

I wish my internet would go down for a day or two so I could get OFF it and be more productive at times I wonder what I would get done if my internet went down for a week... I can picture a very clean and organized house....

I was surprised at the number of things I didn't get done because I didn't have internet. For instance, I was going to make some crackers to go with some soup I made, but my cracker recipe is saved on pinterest so I had to find something else to use (thankfully found a box of saltines in the cupboard). I also found that I was completely unprepared for the changes in weather because I couldn't get online to look at the forecast. Either way, I am thrilled to be back online!

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Thanks for the congrats everyone. They all have homes which they go to tomorrow. I sure hope I can get out of the drive.
My FF experience. I am seeing a slight change in the feed amounts. I buy 100lbs and it used to barely last 2 weeks now I can stretch for 3 weeks with no problem but I better have food at the end of that 3 weeks. So not a huge change but I have only been doing this ff for a few months. The smell in the coop when I open the door in the morning is not quite as offensive so that is a plus. I am starting to see more solid poo. I hope it continues to go in this direction for me, if it doesnt keep improving I will stop giving it I think. I do offer dry feed all the time and I dont see them at the the feeder like starved zombies so that is good. They also free range so where does that play into the whole thing??

 

[Trish44]

Speaking of the FF, I sure will be glad when the birds can get out, at least the ones that free-range & find some other things to eat. They just want to stand around & eat all day & I can't afford to let them do that. I had to cut the layer flock back a bit on the feed because I just can't go through as much feed as they would eat. I found out by experimentation that they will eat all I put out no matter how much I keep putting out there. I do supplement with BOSS though for snacks & they eat that right up too. I'm wondering if the FF increases their appetite or something rather than cut down on it like the meat chicken people seem to say. I certainly have not seen any drop in feed use at my place.Hawkeye, my birds had already molted earlier, so I don't feel like this is really a molt, just new feathers due to the FF.

It's pretty gray looking here today, I was hoping for some sun too to melt off some more of this stuff. I need to get into my pens out there & put the last two tops on so I can move my poor Cream Legbars & SFH. They're in a pen right now that is a muddy mess & I feel sorry for them. I don't have any dry stuff much at all to put in the pen either to soak it up. I'm so ready for this glop to get out of here. I still have to wade in snow to get to my pens, it's crunchy now on top so I crunch & then sink with each step, I hate it.

Hawkeye, let us know for sure how you like those Wellies. I need some different boots for wading around in the snow. I have rain boots from TSC & they do keep my feet dry, but even with heavy wool socks on my feet were like blocks of ice. So I had to dig out another pair of boots, but they're not very high & in some places the snow was higher than the tops of my boots. They also are almost too tight with heavy socks on, I can barely get them on & off. I hate ordering shoes too online because you just never know from one brand to the other what size you're really going to need. I would think though for boots for snow & wearing heavy socks you would want them at least a size bigger than what you normally wear. I bought a whole size bigger on the rain boots & have to pry them off with heavy socks on.

Danz, I'm with you, it's driving me absolutely nuts that I can't get out & work. I've got to get these last things done on my pens so I can move the rest of the birds & then get busy building my goat pen. I don't have a lot of materials for the pen, I'm going to have to piece together something for now until I can enlarge it later, but the two little goats shouldn't need a huge pen for awhile & then I can enlarge it. I know my friend is getting tired of taking care of my little Penny, but it's just really bad timing on her part to get them when she did since I can't get out to get anything done. I'm hoping it's going to get warm enough this weekend to get out there & get some serious work done.

Sunflowerparrot, I think you have your FF way too wet. I put quite a lot of water in mine to start with, but then it soaks it all up & isn't so runny by the time I feed it. I like mine where I don't have to strain it. I wait until the morning to see how dry it's gotten & then add some more water first thing if it's too dry. That gives it time before late afternoon/evening to soak it up some again. I like it to be somewhat wet, but not dripping.

I put my two bigger chicks out in the coop last night at roost time, they were getting so big & trying to fly out the top all the time of the brooder. I needed that brooder to move the little chicks into, so I figured it was time they went out. I hope they will be OK out there with the big chickens, they will have to learn their place. They sure did get big too on the FF.

 

[mstng67]

It's been almost a week since I've been able to log on. The appraiser is coming today for refinancing our house, and it seems to look in worse shape than when we set the appointment. Oh well. We have just stuffed stuff in boxes for so long that we need a major purge. We ran out of room to put the boxes that "we'd sort out later." So we started sorting them out, but it takes a lot longer than I would like. I can say we have a clean master bedroom closet. So hopefully that will count for something on the appraisal.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Josie, I haven't put eyes on any of these tormentors, save one, and he was just a regular coyote with a limp. But the hybrid thing would make sense of what happens around here on a regular basis. They come right up to the kids playset, don't seem shy of the house at all. It's crazy and I think Hawkeye's right, I need to stop going out there alone. I need to just break down and get a skinny friend to make those trips out the back door with me! Sounds like I'll have to be a sharp shooter to make any impression on them. Sheesh!

Josie, I loved the info on poop boards. That's very interesting. I think Hawkeye recommended the Sweet PDZ a long time ago and I got Stall Dry at Atwoods and didn't care for it. I think I'm going to get a bag of the Sweet PDZ since it would be helpful on the concrete outside the coop even now. I'll be cleaning the coop out again once the weather warms up next week. Of course, I may just tough it out until I get the unfinished part of the shop modified to house all the birds in their separate breeding groups. Then I could build poop boards just once.

Maidenwolf, I use the same laundry soap as you and I love that stuff. Works great on all my challenging laundry around here.

mstng67, Good luck with the appraisal! That sorting out and reorganizing is a real job. It just doesn't get done quickly enough to suit me. I have to go through that regularly with so many kids and it's one of my very least favorite things to do. But, if I didn't the only space we'd have left in the house would be just a little breathing space at the ceiling!

Danz, I hope the warmer weather cuts down on consumption too.

Trish, Sunflowerparrot, Today my feed was too wet and they weren't eating. Sometimes I get in a hurry with the straining and today was one of those days. I poured off the excessive water and they went to it. Maybe, Trish, I should use less water in the first place like you're doing. That would certainly make things easier.

 

[checoukan]

Wow, glad to be back in the house. Just finished testing all the birds for my NPIP!! WOOHOO, done for anouther year.

Cody and Brenda are so nice! Brenda said I have to come back next year to see the finished barn. They both thought the barn was wonderful. Im glad. We went in back and they both could not believe how light is was in the back part where the birds are going to be. Even as overcast as we are today, I would not have to turn on any lights for the birds like I do now.

danz~~you decided on a vehicle yet

maidenwolf~~ congrats on the all the babies, I have some blue marans about a week out. I don't think that soap would work for me, as I have an "He" washer, I don't know how I would put the soap powder in the washer.

Trish~~ I like to strain my FF, that way I don't use so much of the Mother Vinegar.

deerfield acres~~ you are going to have to shoot those coyotes! We are getting ready to eliminate a bunch around here.

mstng~~good luck with refinancing

It is really chilly out side today, or seems like it to me, I still keep having chills since I came back into the house. Hope I get warmed back up soon.

OH on the FF. I think if the birds are a little under weight, they will eat that feed like crazy until they get to a proper weight. I know some of my birds were a little light, and they just went nuts over the FF. Im going to start mixing and using again, soon, kinda waiting on getting some birds in the new barn. Right now, I just don't have any place to put my mix barrel, with out making a big mess, and DH, did not want my mix barrel in the car garage.

 

[Trish44]

Quote: Now that Walmart is carrying the vinegar with the mother in it I don't worry so much about it. I just hate having to strain the stuff so much, it's just too time consuming when I have to make 3 trips for all the pens I have anyway, especially in cold weather. I have had to keep my FF in the entry in the house, it's the only place I have to keep it so it won't freeze right now. I think the birds like it better not so runny too & since I feed them in troughs made of guttering & they don't have the ends on them as of yet I don't want it running out the ends.

 

[chicken danz]

I've been busy trying to car shop again and I am hours behind. Oh geez! I need to get to town but at the same time I need to get some stuff done here. I've had some calls about pups today so maybe I will sell a couple this weekend with luck.

I had to candle some eggs going into the hatcher so while I was at it I candled the first 5 goose eggs I put in the incubator. They've been there maybe 5 or 6 days. Three of the five were fertile!!! I was so excited. But as I was putting them back in one fell off and broke. And of course it was beautifully developing!! I felt like crying. At least I know the boys are getting the job done out there!
I also candled the few turkey eggs I have and most seem to be developing.
I had 18 BBS English Orpington eggs due to come out the 5th. Not a single one developed at all. The seller had wrapped them completely in bubble wrap not leaving an open end. I strongly suspect that is what killed them. This is a very well known breeder and these were expensive eggs. She says her hens are shut down again due to colder weather. Drat!!!
Gotta get busy. This car shopping is taking too much time.